Hombsch's new home

JACK Hombsch might have been discarded by GWS but, at just 19 and entering an environment with so many new faces, he says it feels more like he's been drafted by Port Adelaide for the first time.

Taking into account the club's delistings and the movement in the Gillette Free Agency/Trade Periods, the Power has seen nine players leave the club, while it has brought in five.
Retirements, delistings and departures

Combined with a new senior coach in Ken Hinkley as well as the additions of Alan Richardson and Darren Burgess to the football department, the landscape has changed dramatically at Alberton.

"It does feel like I've been drafted again a little bit, I've come here and there's some young players and I know Chad Wingard and Tom Jonas and a few other guys at the club," Hombsch told AFL.com.au.

"I spoke to the boys this morning (yesterday) and they said it's like a new day for them, there's that many players coming in they don't know, new coach, it's really exciting.

"It's just a really new beginning and I'm really excited."

The young defender was brought into the club to cover the loss of Troy Chaplin who joined Richmond early in the free agency period, but he said he didn't expect to be handed a starting spot in the Power's back six.

At 194cm Homsch is just a centimetre shorter than Chaplin and has stood elite forwards like Taylor Walker, Aaron Edwards and the bigger body of Hamish McIntosh.

He said he wasn't the only player on Port's list capable of filling a key defensive role and, at 87kg, admitted he needed to bulk up.

"I play key position defence, third tall defender, so hopefully [I'll] fit in the backline and play with the likes of (Alipate) and [Jackson] Trengove and a few of the other boys.

"Obviously Chaplin's gone but there's a few of us here, I think, who can play that position.

"All it is now is six months until the footy season starts, so I've got to get through a pre-season and do everything I can to cement a spot in the team."

Despite falling out of the Giants' future Hombsch said he held nothing against the club and insisted he was genuinely excited to join the Power, labelling the move the start of a new chapter in his life.
"The Giants didn't see me as part of their future plans and Port Adelaide do and I'm very grateful for that," he said.

"I loved my two years over there but now I'm moving on to a new stage in my life and I'm really, really excited to come here and I'm just going to do everything I can to be a consistent contributor to Port Adelaide.

"Everyone's new, everyone's up and about and really excited to start pre-season."

But it seems not everyone shared Hombsch's initial excitement to be joining Port Adelaide.

In his debut press conference for the Power, the defender revealed his mum was hesitant to offer her blessing.

"Mum was a Crows supporter, but she'll come around," he laughed.

"She was [in] a bit of shock at first but she'll be fine, she's really happy for me."
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.